UPDATE: Missouri Task Force One Nears East Coast for Sandy Relief

COLUMBIA - As of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Missouri Task Force 1 was about four hours away from McGuire Airforce Base in New Jersey where it will get instructions on helping with the Sandy relief effort. Bureau Director Gale Blomenkamp said he's not sure what the force will be assigned to do, but said it will likely be searching houses by foot or by water.

The force deployed from the Boone County Fire Prevention Headquarters in Columbia early Tuesday morning. About 80 skilled workers from across the state originally set out for Herndon, Va. to provide help for those left behind after superstorm Sandy hit the east coast. The force was later reasigned to respond to the air force base.

This is the first time Missouri Task Force 1 has been activitaed by FEMA since 2011.